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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27624611">I Can't Sleep (It's 1AM)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/lost_lunar_wolf/pseuds/lost_lunar_wolf'>lost_lunar_wolf</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Comfortember 2020 [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Ben Parker is a good Uncle, Comfortember, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Happy Ending, Hot Chocolate, Kid Peter Parker, Light Angst, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Feels, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Platonic Relationships, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Ben Parker, Protective Tony Stark, Teen Peter Parker, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark is Good With Kids</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 16:47:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,873</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27624611</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/lost_lunar_wolf/pseuds/lost_lunar_wolf</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“What are you doing up Pete?”  Ben asked as Peter took another small sip of his hot chocolate.</p><p>“I couldn’t sleep.”  Peter admitted, his voice small and full of exhaustion.  </p><p>“And you made hot chocolate because?”</p><p>Peter shrugged, looking away from Ben, instead focusing on the mug in his hands and his feet swinging under the table.  “It sounded good I guess.”</p><p>OR</p><p>Peter and Ben had a tradition that on nights they couldn't sleep they would make hot chocolate.  Years later and a night at the tower when Peter can't sleep, Peter decides that maybe he can carry on the tradition with Tony.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ben Parker &amp; Peter Parker, May Parker (Spider-Man) &amp; Peter Parker, Peter Parker &amp; Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Comfortember 2020 [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2019731</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>133</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Comfortember 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I Can't Sleep (It's 1AM)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi!!  I wrote this in class today for Comfortember and this was the first day I actually wrote in awhile cause life, but I did it!!</p><p>Prompt: Hot Cocoa</p><p>I hope you all enjoy it's full of fluff with a hint of angst!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>For a reason that Peter could never explain, to him, hot chocolate tasted better in the summer.  However, that did not mean he didn’t enjoy it other times during the year.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It didn’t really make sense that he would find it more enjoyable during the hotter months, but what did make sense was the fact that he found overall the most enjoyable time to have it was between the hours of midnight and 3am.  Which okay actually didn’t make sense the more he thought about it, until it did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It made sense because he would drink hot chocolate with Uncle Ben on nights he couldn’t sleep and Ben got home late from work.  That was their time and their time alone.  Every once in a while May would join, but they usually ended up in the kitchen with hot chocolate on nights where May would work the night shift.  Which was why Peter couldn’t sleep in the first place.  Because Ben was working or May was and he couldn’t get his mind to shut up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first time it happened Peter was 8, May was working the night shift for the second time that week and as far as Peter knew Ben was asleep.  It was around 1am when Peter snuck out of his room and into the kitchen due to having woken up from a nightmare and unable to fall back asleep.  He poured himself a mug of milk and stuck it into the microwave for a minute and in the meantime took a packet of hot chocolate out of one of the cabinets.  And when the microwave had 1 second left Peter opened it to make sure it wouldn’t beep then poured the contents of the package into the mug and mixed it in.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter sat down at the table and gripped the mug loosely in his hands but pulled them away every few seconds to avoid burning himself.  He sat in silence for who knows how long, he stopped paying attention to the time the second he pulled the mug from the microwave, but the silence mixed with the warmth of the hot chocolate gliding down his throat made Peter sag in his chair.  If he focused hard enough he could hear the traffic from the city that never sleeps, just like him it seemed.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Ben sat down in front of Peter, it took the boy a few seconds to realize Ben was there as his eyes were closed and he was focused on the sounds of distant car horns.  Though when Peter did notice Ben, for whatever reason he expected Ben to tell him to go back to bed, but instead Ben just gave him a soft smile which the 8 year old gladly returned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing up Pete?”  Ben asked as Peter took another small sip of his hot chocolate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I couldn’t sleep.”  Peter admitted, his voice small and full of exhaustion.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you made hot chocolate because?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter shrugged, looking away from Ben, instead focusing on the mug in his hands and his feet swinging under the table.  “It sounded good I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess I should make some too then, huh.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter looked back up to Ben, his eyes going a little wider and mouth hanging open slightly.  “You’re not mad?”  He asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben only shrugged as he got up from the table and started making his own mug of hot chocolate.  “I’m not mad that you’re up, I am a little disappointed you didn’t come get me, but I get it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t be sorry, you can’t help that you can’t sleep.”  Ben said as he took the mug out of the microwave.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter watched in silence as Ben finished making his hot chocolate and sat back down at the table across from Peter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You wanna talk about it?”  Ben asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m worried about May.”  Peter admitted, swinging his feet a little faster under the table and taking another sip from his mug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s only at work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know it's just-”  Peter paused trying to find the right words to describe how he was feeling.  He wasn’t really sure why he was so worried about May as she was </span>
  <em>
    <span>just at work</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but he was worried and he couldn’t explain why.  There was just this feeling he would get on the nights she was gone, heck even the nights Ben was gone, that something bad would happen.  “I just get worried that something bad is going to happen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter could tell Ben was thinking of what to say from the look on his face.  “That makes sense.”  Ben said when he finally spoke.  “Especially after everything that’s happened, it makes sense that you would worry when people leave.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was thankful that Ben didn’t flat out mention his parents.  Even though the plane crash that killed them was nearing 3 years ago, it still hurt to bring it up, understandably.  It hurt especially bad at night, at times when he would think he was over it, or maybe not over it but doing better with accepting it in general.  Overall he was getting better, it was getting easier, but he was still thankful Ben didn’t bring it up as he wasn’t sure he could handle it tonight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know why though.”  Peter said after a few moments of silence, forcing himself to cut off his thoughts.  “Like I do, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>why?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know.”  Ben said softly, his voice so warm and comforting as he reached out and took Peter’s small hand into his own.  “But sometimes we don’t know the reasons for something and until we know the reason, we have to be okay with not knowing it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks Uncle Ben.”  Peter said before taking the last sip of warm goodness from his mug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course Pete.  Anytime you need something you can come get me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A few minutes after that Ben carried Peter back to his room and tucked the boy back into bed.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t tell May I let you have hot chocolate this late.”  Ben said jokingly before pressing a soft kiss to Peter’s forehead.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I won’t.”  Peter promised and held out his pinky which Ben quickly joined with his own.  “I love you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you too Pete, try to get some sleep, you have school tomorrow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Peter did sleep that night, it didn’t take long after Ben left for him to fall asleep with a smile on his face and May was there to wake him up in the morning.  He wrapped his arms around May’s neck and hugged her as tight as he could.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s what they did for a few years.  If Ben got home late from work and Peter was up, Ben would make a mug of hot chocolate for the both of them and they would talk about what was on their mind or what good things happened that day.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which is why Peter knows that’s why hot chocolate always tastes better at night, because it’s a time of comfort, a time where very few people are up, a time where nothing is expected and he can just sit at the table either in silence or talking with Ben.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Though now, Ben isn’t here and he couldn’t bring himself to have May sit out with him some nights.  Some nights he did and they would sit at the table drinking their hot chocolate talking about their day, but other nights May couldn’t sit out with him because she was working.  Then there were the nights that he sat at the kitchen table alone because there, late at night, with a mug of hot chocolate in his hands, he felt closer to Ben, so he let himself have those moments.  It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy May sitting out with him, because he did, but some nights it felt almost like he was betraying Ben, though he knew deep down he wasn’t, because Ben would’ve wanted him to carry on the tradition with someone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He let himself think back tonight, on this cool November night, because now he was sitting at the table in the penthouse of Stark Tower with a mug of hot chocolate cupped between his hands, alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He could go get Tony, he knew that.  He could go get May, he knew that too.  Heck he could go get anyone in the tower, because their rooms were only a few steps down the hall, but he didn’t because he was sad and he wasn’t sure why.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe it was because tonight he missed Ben a little more than usual, or maybe there was some other reason, though right now because he didn’t know he let himself be okay with not knowing, because that’s what Ben would tell him to do.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he moved onto his second mug of hot chocolate because he still didn’t feel ready to go back to his room, he could hear quiet socked feet coming down the hall and a slightly  abnormal heartbeat come with it.  It was Tony, he knew it was Tony, who else would it be besides May coming out to check on him at 1 in the morning?  But May was asleep and only Tony had the abnormal heartbeat.  And it wasn’t even that it was truly abnormal, it wouldn’t show up on any sort of machine that it was abnormal, but Peter could hear the slight difference in his compared to anyone else.  Tony’s heartbeat was calming to him </span>
  <em>
    <span>because</span>
  </em>
  <span> it was slightly off.  The normal </span>
  <em>
    <span>thump thump</span>
  </em>
  <span> of someone's heartbeat was calming sometimes, but he could only do so much to pick an individual’s heartbeat out of a sea of them.  But Tony’s, because Tony’s was different, and only in the slightest bit, Peter could pick it out in a crowd and focus on his when he couldn’t decipher anyone else's.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing up buddy?”  Tony asked sitting down in a chair across the table from Peter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It could’ve been a very similar conversation to the one he had with Ben the first time they had hot chocolate together.  It could’ve been very different.  But it also could go practically anyway Peter wanted it to go.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can’t sleep.”  Peter said with a small shrug and took another sip of his hot chocolate.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you wanna talk about it?”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter didn’t answer Tony, but stood up from his spot at the table and walked back over to the kitchen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that a no?”  Tony questioned, though he didn’t move from his spot at the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I’m just making you a mug of hot chocolate too.”  Peter said, putting the mug of milk into the microwave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I could make coffee you know.”  Tony suggested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter shook his head.  “Late night talks are hot chocolate only.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony only nodded as Peter pulled the mug from the microwave and mixed in the hot chocolate mix before bringing it over to the table to set it infront of Tony.  He sat back down in his spot and once again wrapped his hands loosely around the mug.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They each sipped their respective drinks in silence until Peter spoke up.  “I used to do this with Ben.”  Peter said eventually.  “On nights he got home late and I was still up or on nights I couldn’t sleep.  Sometimes May would join us, but more often than not it was just me and Ben.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony got the same thinking face that Ben would get sometimes.  Like he knew what to say, but was trying to think of the best way to say it.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it okay that I’m out here with you?”  Tony asked.  “Because I don’t want to intrude if you don’t want me here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter gave Tony a soft smile.  “Yeah it’s okay.  I made you hot chocolate didn’t I?”  He said with a quiet chuckle causing Tony to chuckled as well.  “It’s uh- it’s nice to have someone out here with me sometimes.  Sometimes May will sit with me in the kitchen, but sometimes I like to be alone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now I don’t know exactly, but I know that I want you to stay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then I’ll stay as long as you need.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pinky promise?”  Peter asked, reaching towards the center of the table holding his pinky out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pinky promise.”  Tony confirmed and hooked his pinky with Peter’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both gave a small shake of their pinkies to seal the promise before letting go both of their hands going back around their mugs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Tony did stay just like he promised.  They talked a little both about their day and about somethings they had on their minds, but regardless, Tony stayed just like he promised.  When they both finished their drinks, mugs now in the dishwasher, the two of them walked back down the hall towards their respective rooms.  When they reached Peter’s door Peter hesitated twisting the handle for a moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you need anything else bud?”  Tony asked, if Peter had to guess he noticed the hesitation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yeah Peter did want something else.  He wanted someone to tuck him into bed just like Ben would do even as Peter got older and would say he was too old for that, but secretly he always loved when Ben tucked him into bed.  He knew that Ben knew that as well, which is why he kept doing it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ben would always tuck me in after we had hot chocolate.”  Peter admitted, the hesitance in his voice clear as he slowly turned the door handle and kept his gaze on his feet.  “You don’t have to though I just-”  He trailed off losing the words in his throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you want me to?”  Tony asked, and Peter was thankful Tony was leaving the choice up to him.  It was a small gesture, one that most people wouldn’t care about, but it meant the world to Peter.  It meant that Tony understood what Peter was too scared to say.  That Peter didn’t want to replace Ben, Tony wouldn’t replace Ben, nobody could replace Ben, but there could be someone who had a similar role, if Peter wanted that.  And Tony asking, leaving the choice up to Peter, told him that Tony understood, he understood that Peter wasn’t trying to replace Ben with him, but that he was still an extremely important part of Peter’s life.  Because he was, Tony was extremely important to Peter and Peter hoped he was important to Tony.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you?”  Peter asked his hands rubbing together as if to try to warm up, but he was nervous as he shifted his weight from his heels to the balls of his feet.  Was it a weird thing to ask of Tony?  Maybe it was, but there was a sense of familiarity with it.  And again it wasn’t that Tony was a replacement for Ben, that wasn’t it at all, it was Tony being there for Peter when he needed it, for when he wanted it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course I can bambino.”  Tony said, letting Peter walk into the room first before following.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another simple gesture that Peter appreciated.  Peter crawled into bed and Tony pulled the covers up right past his shoulders so it was sitting directly above his collarbone.  He turned so he was facing Tony and curled into a loose ball while clutching his stuffed animal (technically it wasn’t a stuffed animal, it was a stuffed Iron Man doll from Costco that May and Ben got him for the holidays one year) to his chest.  Tony sat on the edge of the bed, one leg pulled up in his lap, the other resting on the floor to keep his balance.  He ran his fingers through Peter’s messy curls and Peter couldn’t stop himself from melting into the touch.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you.”  Peter whispered, so softly that he was unsure if Tony had even heard him.  And maybe it wasn’t a bad thing if Tony didn’t hear, but some part of Peter hoped he did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony pressed a soft kiss on Peter’s forehead and brushed the stay curls out of the boy’s face.  Peter had his answer then.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you too.”  Tony said pressing one more kiss on the top of Peter’s head before standing up from the bed.  “If you need anything come get me.  I’ll be here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you.”  Peter said softly, and this time he knew Tony could hear him because of the smile Tony gave him as he reached the doorway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you kiddo.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter didn't have to guess the you're welcome that was hidden in that phrase.  “I love you too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Things were different now.  They had been for a while.  But maybe carrying on this sort of tradition wasn’t a bad thing.  Though he never really thought it was, he just never had the right person to continue it with aside from May, but Tony, well Tony was the person to continue it with.  It felt comforting, in a different way than it was with Ben, but comforting all the less.  It felt right carrying on the tradition.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And just like the first time he and Ben had hot chocolate, Peter fell asleep right away with a smile on his face.  </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I hope you all enjoyed, let me know what you think!!  I loved writing this!!  I've never written Ben Parker before but I think I did a good job and the whole thing just hit me in the feels!!  </p><p>Come say hi to me on <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/lost-lunar-wolf">Tumblr</a>!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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